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Unfortunately, during the last two major snow events (Dec 29-30th and this morning) our condo association (I live in Glastonbury) has been very lacking in terms of snow removal. During the first event, snow was not even cleared until 14 hours after it started (10 inches by then) and even after my parking lot area was cleared, the main roads still had at least 3-4” of snow on them making it difficult to get up even a slight incline.
During this same time, even the lightly traveled cul da sac’s in Glastonbury (with 10 homes) had been almost completely cleared of snow and ice.
Fast forward to last night and this morning………
At 7:40 this morning when I am leaving for work, there is 3 and 1/2” (I measured it) of snow in the parking area and that much on the main roads owned by the condo assoc. I was able to get out, but just barely. My friend who lives in a condo in Cromwell meanwhile had EVERYTHING cleared by 5 AM this morning.
Not only that, but when I returned home for lunch at around 12:15 this afternoon, my parking area still hadn't been cleared of any snow although the roads had been. It was not until 2:00 that I learn from my neighbor that the crew was there to clear the lot area.
I am at the point where I am about to file a formal complaint via email to the association. Luckily for me of course, I have photos to document all of this (no surprise as I have my camera almost everywhere) along with the time each was taken (of course so I can absolutely prove everything I am saying. (Not that anyone wouldn’t believe me).
So I am wondering, what can I do in addition to making a complain via email with the photos attached??? We all pay a lot in our monthly common charges and the least I expect is that everything is cleared by the morning on a workday------especially during a measly 3 to 4” event.
Are you the only one in your complex with this complaint ? If not, then start calling and knocking on doors and have other unit owners email and call, etc. the condo board. Or get a petition going with as many owners to sign it as you can. Go visit each board member and complain directly.
Network with other unit owners and have as many as possible attend the next Board meeting and complain.
Just you complaining may not help much. You need numbers to put pressure on condo boards.
The association hires a commercial plower and evidently your complex is not high on their priority list. They're probably doing commercial jobs first and then getting to their residential customers. That can be rectified by finding another plower.
Next time you hear of an opening on the board, try to take it.
I lived in a Denver metro HOA (townhomes) and I was on the board of directors. One year we got 2 1/2 to 3 foot of snow and it was 2 1/2 days before our snow remover could get in. My four wheel drive truck got stuck in front of our garage when I tried to make a sharp right to enter it.
Not sure about CT, but in Colorado metro areas have first right of call on all snow plows to clear major roadways. So we took a backseat along with virtually all other HOA's. Then a contractor has to look at how many communities he's serving and make a decision on where to go first (usually whoever is closest to him)---every other HOA else is immediately pizzed off by being later on the list.
Our community streets were so narrow that snow was piled up in the guest parking areas (for which the board got criticized) and we had to hire dump trucks and cranes to come in to reduce the amount of snow. Of course, 2/3's of our snow removal budget was gone immediately (for which the board got criticized). Reminding folks that we had tried to raise the HOA dues more than five dollars (for which the board got criticized) just brought on more criticism because we weren't able to get by with the "thousands" of dollars being paid by members of the community.
Bottom line, there are some weather events that are not going to be handled in a timely manner and there is absolutely little, if anything, your HOA board can do about it. You can always vote a big increase in your HOA dues and tell the board you want a company that will put your community first in snow events. Money always talks. Money and power talks louder (municipalities). The other thing to do is run for the board yourself. Nothing like the education you can get when serving on an HOA board.
Last edited by Wardendresden; 01-16-2013 at 02:33 PM..
Reason: clarification
Unfortunately this post is off topic for the Connecticut board. I am moving it to the Real Estate board where it will get more responses. JayCT, Moderator
Location: Danbury CT covering all of Fairfield County
2,636 posts, read 7,432,146 times
Reputation: 1378
I would get other neighbors together and file a complaint. I had to get to a clients condo at 9:30 this morning and the parking lot was not plowed yet. I was able to get in and out with realitivly no problem, even with a front wheel drive car. I went by there around 12:30 in the afternoon on the way from an another appointment, and they were finally out there shoveling and plowing.
Your snow removal person is likely connected to an association member. Proceed with caution.
Our HOA had a firm rule of hiring no contractor who had any personal or familial relationships to anyone on the Board. We also made sure that no one on our Board (we had realtors) would profit in any way from their position as a board member.
Boards can, and some do, with full disclosure, still choose to hire a family member or signifcant other to do work in the community. Once I came onto our board, I became a strong advocate of complete severance of any of that type of thing.
Still another reason to frequently, if not always, attend board meetings and ask questions. "Gee, you're hiring a new landscape company? Does anyone on the board have any type of relationship to the owners or managers of that company?"
It's so much nicer to know before hand, than after the fact. And it's why, if you don't attend board meetings, it's kinda like not voting--you get whats you get!
Had this problem when I lived in a condo complex in Middletown. As others stated, knock on doors rally up and complain at the meeting. It's an issue of the commercial first then residential lots, unfortunately the city isn't responsible for condo lots. We picked up an electric snow thrower for quick removals.
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Lived in Colorado HOA
